A Moment's Reprieve
by Paint Smear
Summary: What if Needy changed her mind at the last minute, and hadn't stabbed her best friend? A continuation of Jennifer's Body.
1. Prelude

**Disclaimer: **Jennifer's Body does not belong to me…and yes, I know. That sounds weird.

**Author's Note: **I decided to write this because I was dissatisfied with the way the movie ended. I thought Jennifer's characterization lacked depth, and that their friendship could have been focused on more. Well, I just hope this works lol.

**Prelude**

Needy gritted her teeth and wrenched the heart pendant off vehemently. The delicate necklace seemed to burst apart at her very touch.

Jennifer's eyes widened with incredulity. Words seemed to die on her quivering lips. With a final shudder, she released her grip on her best friend and fell back in surrender.

Needy caught herself in midair and tightened her fingers over the razor, ready to strike–!

But she flung out her arm at the last instant, against all common sense, and missed Jennifer completely.

_Fuck!_

Jennifer was crying.


	2. Chapter 1 : A Moment's Reprieve

**Disclaimer: **Refer to Prelude.**  
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**A Moment's Reprieve**

**Chapter 1: A Moment's Reprieve**

Needy gasped in short breaths as she remained bent over Jennifer's limp body, the razor still tightly clenched in hand.

Tears snaked down the brunette's pale cheeks.

"Well, Needy?" Jennifer taunted in a scarce whisper. "Aren't you going to kill me?"

Needy's eyes tightened around the edges.

"Aren't you supposed to be _unkillable_?" She snapped in reply.

Blood was pounding furiously in her ears, and her face felt hot and flushed.

_Kill her! She's just playing for sympathy! _

Needy had sworn to kill the heartless bitch the night she held the lifeless Chip in her arms. She had been following Jennifer around for a month since then, tracking her every move. Watching and waiting…

_So why am I holding back?_

The dark haired beauty gave the slightest of shrugs, an ironic smile playing on her moist lips.

_Stab her! DO IT!_

But the words echoed hollowly in her head. Deep down, she knew she couldn't bring herself to raise the blade again. She simply couldn't bear…

Needy pulled away from Jennifer with a strangled cry as the realization hit her. The razor fell to the floor in a noisy clatter.

_What about Chip? Don't you care enough?_

"Needy?" Jennifer began tentatively. The brunette had propped herself up and was carefully inching towards Needy, who sat with her head bowed at the foot of the bed.

Needy raised her head weakly, feeling Jennifer's hands on her shoulders.

"I couldn't do it…" She whispered thickly, her face contorted with grief.

Jennifer reached out and touched her cheek tenderly.

"Too bad…"

Needy's eyes widened in disbelief even as Jennifer drew back a clenched fist with a bland smile. There was a sickening crunch of bone.

"_You bitch!_" She choked, reeling from the impact.

…and promptly blacked out.


	3. Chapter 2: The Heart Pendant

**Disclaimer: **Refer to Prelude.

**A Moment's Reprieve**

**Chapter 2: The Heart Pendant**

Needy was vaguely aware that it was morning. She could feel the sun's warmth on her face and hear the random chitter of birds. Her head was throbbing though, and decided she probably deserved a few extra minutes of sleep.

Someone else, however, seemed to disagree. She felt a hand caress her cheek, almost playfully.

"Fuhmoarminutes…" Needy begged sleepily, brushing away the irritant negligently.

She heard a soft giggle by her ear. Warning bells screamed in her head.

Her eyelids flew open.

"What the hell!"

The teen pushed herself off the bed so quickly she took a tumble. This instigated a fresh burst of girlish laughter. Needy forced herself up pugnaciously and glared at the lounging brunette with an expression of sheer malevolence.

Jennifer stopped laughing.

"Needy–" She began, carefully propping herself up in bed.

"_Shut up_!" Needy spat, drawing back instinctively. "You…_fucking monster_!"

"Wow. Are we back to that _again_?" Jennifer sighed theatrically and jumped off her bed.

"_D-don't come any closer!_" Needy cried frantically, eyes darting the room for a weapon of any sort.

"Will you stop the yelling?" The brunette hissed. "I already had hell to explain to my mom last night."

She gestured to the broken window and gave Needy a reproachful look.

"By the way, I told her you slept over because you got into a fight with your mom." Jennifer continued, with an absolutely straight face. "_And_ that you were a little clumsy climbing through my window."

Needy stared at her ex-best friend incredulously.

"She asked me to remind you that we own a front door." Jennifer added.

"_You tried to kill me!_"

"Uh _no_? I just knocked you out because you going all _Psycho_ on _me_!" Jennifer whipped out the "Home Depot" razor from nowhere and brandished it accusingly at her best friend. "_Remember?_"

"I should have killed you last night!" Needy snarled bitterly.

Jennifer advanced towards her slowly, holding the razor out deliberately.

"So do it then." She said quietly. "Go on, take it."

Needy took one glance at the blade and looked away determinedly.

"_Take it, Lesnicki!_"

"_No!_" Needy cried, knocking back the surprised Jennifer.

She scrambled for the door.

"Needy!"

Without even looking back, the blond wrenched open the bedroom door and ran as fast as she could.

"_Get back here!_"

Jennifer resisted the urge to drag her best friend back into her room. She sank to the floor tiredly and flung away the razor in disgust.

The teen pulled out a glinting heart-shaped pendant and considered it silently. As if on impulse, she lifted it to her face and brushed the cool metal against her soft lips.

Jennifer closed her eyes and drew in a long, shuddering breath.


	4. Chapter 3: The New Prey

**Disclaimer: **Refer to Prelude.

**Author's note:** Sorry for the long wait...life's been quite hectic and I'm not the most disciplined of writers. A big, big thank you for all of your kind words. Thanks for brightening up my days.

**A Moment's Reprieve  
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**Chapter 3: The New Prey**

Jennifer walked down the crowded school corridor feeling horribly self-conscious.

The ex-Snowflake Queen was once again reduced to a mere shadow of her former self. Her raven hair was dull and lank, her lips chapped and dry. Her once glowing skin was now dreadfully pale, and dark rings circled her eyes. She had _never_ looked worse…a fact which did not go unnoticed.

She bit her lower lip but held her head up high, determined to ignore the whispered mutterings that trailed after her.

_Go _fuck_ yourselves._

(I heard she caught an _STD_!)

(Eww! Really?)

(Uh_ yeah_! She fucks _everything_!)

Jennifer stopped in her tracks, her nostrils flared.

_Patricia Smith…_

…how long had she gone without? How long since she last feasted…?

_Mhmm…_

She turned to the two gossiping girls and flashed a toothy grin.

"Pat Smith!"

They both started in surprise. The other girl quickly muttered something incoherent about a prior engagement and ducked away out of sight.

"Oh! H-hi, Jennifer!" Patricia Smith replied in a fluster, nervously balancing her textbooks in her arms.

"I was looking all over for you!" Jennifer exclaimed brightly, advancing on the shorter girl.

Patricia tittered nervously. "You…_were_?"

"You and I. We have a lot of catching up to do."

"We…do?"

"Meet me after school in the gym, okay?"

"Uh…what? I-I mean…what f – why?"

"To welcome you to the herd, of course!"

"Huh?"

"Silly! You've made it to the Flag team!"

"_Oh!_" Patricia remarked, dazedly. "The Flag team! But I thought Melody Caldwell got the…"

"Melody Caldwell dropped out." Jennifer said shortly. "So, are you in or what?"

The red head nodded slowly and uncertainly.

Jennifer grinned.

"Don't worry; it'll just be you and me." She leaned in closer to the petrified girl. "As the head, I take a personal interest in each and every single one of my members."

Patricia gulped. "Cool…"

"I'll see _you_ later."

As Jennifer turned to walk away, she caught sight of Needy approaching from the opposite direction. The blond took one look at her and turned right around.

_Damn it, Needy!_

The brunette quickened her pace.

"_Come on, Jen! We're gonna be late for class!" Needy called, waving her arm desperately to her best friend who looked supremely unconcerned._

"_Needy," Jennifer began coolly when she finally reached her impatient friend. "Jennifer Check never hurries, okay? She _saunters_."_

"_Jen –"_

"_And anyway, school hallways were practically _designed_ for lingering to chat up boys– which is something _you'd _know if you used it for anything else other than stampeding through to the goddamn library." _

"Right_, Jen." Needy replied with exaggerated patience, rolling her eyes in the process. "Look, the only place we'll be doing any lingering today will be in detention if we don't get our _asses_ to class soon! The bell rang five minutes ago!" _

_Jennifer burst out laughing. "God, I love it when you swear!"_

_Needy shook her head, smiling despite herself._

"Needy! Wait up!"

Jennifer reached out a hand and grabbed Needy's left shoulder. The blond gasped in pain, and recoiled from her touch.

"Needy!" Jennifer exclaimed, looking deeply concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Stay away from me!"

The brunette's eyes narrowed dangerously.

People were starting to stare, and Jennifer hated being the center of unwanted attention – particularly under the current circumstances.

"You know where I'll be." She murmured coldly to the harassed-looking girl.

Looking up, she raised her eyebrows at the small crowd of teens before her. Everyone cleared a path for her almost immediately.


	5. Chapter 4: A New Friend

**Disclaimer: **Refer to Prelude.

**A Moment's Reprieve**

** Chapter 4: A New Friend**

"_You know where I'll be."_

Needy slammed her locker shut in frustration. The metal door rattled violently.

_What does she _want_ with me?_

She shifted the weight of her backpack on her right shoulder with an awkward shrug. The wound on her other shoulder still ached horribly, and the freshly replaced bandages already felt moist to the touch.

_Who the fuck cares._

The teen stumbled out of the hallway towards the school library.

"Anita Lesnicki!"

She turned.

A haggard, bespectacled man in his fifties beckoned to her with his only real hand.

Needy's lips twisted in annoyance.

_Great._

The teen approached him reluctantly.

"Yes, Mr Wroblewski?" She inquired dully.

The man's eyes softened with pity. He nodded sagely in perceived understanding.

"I know how…_difficult_ the past month must have been for you." He began gently, oblivious to the dark look she returned him.

"Chip Dove was a good boy…"

Needy gritted her teeth.

"…and the two of you were…"

Mr Wroblewski cleared his throat, and shook his head sadly.

"Anyway, I've noticed that you've been keeping to yourself a lot lately. You know it won't do you any good to shut yourself out." He cleared his throat again. "Which is why I've arranged for you to meet…"

Needy opened her mouth to retort, but stopped.

A teenage boy of medium height and lightly bronzed skin had stepped out from behind Mr Wroblewski. He gave her a small wave and wore an apologetic smile on his face.

"…our new student, Gregory Williams."

"But you can call me Greg." The boy quickly offered.

Needy couldn't help but stare at him. He was really…attractive.

"Hi, Greg." She managed at last.

Mr Wroblewski nodded in satisfaction.

"Well, I'll let you kids get better acquainted. You've got your class schedule, Mr. Williams?"

Greg nodded. "Yes sir. Thanks."

"Stay out of trouble." The elderly teacher advised, purely out of habit, and left.

Both teens stared at the scuffed floor, uncomfortably aware of the silence that had fallen between them. Meanwhile, students streamed past them back and forth through the hallway, chatting incessantly amongst themselves.

(Going for football practice later?)

(Fuck! I forgot my assignment!)

(Yeah! I'll see you there!)

_Mr Wroblewski just set me up with a boy…_and_ he's probably clueless about it. _

She risked a glance at the teen. Greg was still staring nervously at the floor.

_Now what?_

(Hah! You're going to get detention!)

(Don't be such a dick!)

(Pat! Wait up!)

"So, um, are you free now?" Greg asked, pushing a thick fringe of dark hair out of his gray eyes. "To show me around, I mean."

"What?"

(Thanks for abandoning me earlier, Sarah!)

Greg cleared his throat and raised his voice slightly, above the din.

"Are you free to show me around?"

(Shut up, you'd do the same to me too. So quick, tell me! What did Jennifer Check want with you?)

Needy bristled at the sound of Jennifer's name.

"Yes, I guess I am." She answered, drawing herself to full height.

(_What?_ She wants to see you _alone_?)

(_Shhhhhh…!_)

"Great! Where to first?"

(In the gym! After school! You…don't think she's _bi_, do you?)

"Um…" Needy hesitated, suddenly looking very disturbed.

(_What?_ Ohmygod, did she hit on you or something?)

(_She was totally into me!_)

"S-sorry, Greg…I've got to go…" Needy mumbled, feeling a little sick.

"Oh!" He replied, looking rather disappointed. "Sure, maybe later then."

Needy nodded dumbly and half jogged her way to the school field.

(Wow, you think maybe she wants…you?)

(Shut up, Sarah! That's not funny!)

Greg sighed mournfully.

"I didn't even get her cell phone number."


	6. Chapter 5: Through the Trees

**Disclaimer: **Refer to Prelude.

**Author's note:** A big thank you once again for all of your support. You guys have been wonderful! :)

PS: booklover457 I did make plans to have something along those lines. Still thinking it through though...thanks for the input! :D

**A Moment's Reprieve  
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**Chapter 5: Through the Trees**

Anita Lesniki stormed her way across the school field, towards the crowded trees. The bespectacled girl had a feeling she was playing right into Jennifer's hand, but was past caring.

_I knew this would happen! I fucking knew it!_

She was livid with rage – more so at herself than anyone else. What the hell had she been hoping for? That bitch to grow a conscience?

_I hate you…_

Her brisk strides slowed to careful, measured steps as she entered the forest. She tilted her head slightly and strained her ears to listen out for the tell-tale crunch of dead leaves.

"Hey, Monistat." An all too familiar voice greeted her pleasantly from behind.

She started in shock, and swiveled around to face Jennifer. The latter returned her a smug look.

Needy's backpack hit the ground with a dull smack. The blond hardened her eyes at the raven haired beauty, and raised her chin challengingly.

"I knew you'd come." The latter said simply, leaning casually against a thin trunk.

Needy felt the hairs on the back of her neck bristle.

_How dare she…!_

"Did you also know that just the sight of your face makes me sick?" She spat, and was pleased to see a look of consternation cross Jennifer's face.

"You are really, _really_ starting to piss me off, Lesnicki."

"Really? That's the best news I've heard all day."

Jennifer closed her eyes briefly and appeared to engage in a deep internal struggle. Needy stared contemptuously at her, deriving pleasure from the other's pain.

Her lips thinned into a callous smile. Anger surged through her veins, blazing like fire through a pipeline. This power, this destructive power that could…

…_make me reach out and kill – _

"Why didn't you kill me?"

Needy blinked. The roaring flames receded rapidly like a retreating snake, wails of despair echoing in their trace. She swallowed thickly.

What had just happened?

"I don't have time for this." The teen declared shakily, bending down to retrieve her backpack. "Just…_stay away from me!_"

"Needy, _wait–!_"

Needy gasped in pain as she tugged at the heavy bag, a hand flying to her wounded shoulder.

"_What's wrong?_" Jennifer was instantly by her side.

The brunette pulled the jacket off Needy's left shoulder and firmly pried the latter's trembling hand off the wound. Needy recoiled from her touch.

"God, Needy…be still." She murmured, gently removing the untidy mess of bandages with a hand. "Ew."

Needy raised her gaze hesitantly and watched in silence as Jennifer inspected her wounds meticulously.

"Ugh, this looks disgusting…did you get it checked?"

Her clear emerald eyes stared transfixed at the way the raven-haired beauty bit her soft, lush lips in distraction. Even in this state, Jennifer looked nothing less than beautiful.

Her eyelids drooped. She was beginning to feel a little light-headed…a little intoxicated by Jennifer's overpowering perfume. The blond teen suppressed a moan as the brunette caressed her shoulder lightly.

"Are you scared of me?" Jennifer asked suddenly, flashing a toothy grin. "I can hear your heart beat."

Needy froze.

"It's like a fucking drumfest." She gave a silvery laugh.

"Shut up." The bespectacled teen muttered angrily, red-faced.

_Damn it, pull yourself together!_

"There's no need to be frightened…" Jennifer began tenderly, taking Needy's hands in hers. "_You're_ safe from me. I promise."

Needy looked at her. There was just this slight inflection to her tone…

"Don't do it." She blurted out. "Leave her alone."

Jennifer's expression darkened. She let go, letting her hands fall limply to her sides.

"What are you talking about?" The brunette asked icily.

Needy averted her gaze. "I know about your plans with Patricia."

Jennifer clenched her hands into fists. "_And?_"

"And," The blond repeated slowly, looking at her full in the face. "I'm asking you not to."

The brunette turned her back to Needy.

"You know I'll die."

Needy hesitated. She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath.

"If that's the only way..."

"Are you fucking serious?" Jennifer whipped around and shot her a look of incredulity. "What about _last night?_"

"Jen…"

The raven-haired beauty held her breath as Needy reached out and placed a hand over hers. Tears sprang to her eyes instantly. Her familial, warm touch felt like a distant memory.

Jennifer fought to hold back her tears.

"So," She began thickly, giving a thin, sardonic smile. "You'll only be my friend if I agree to _starve_ myself?"

Needy looked at her seriously.

"It's the only way that I can forgive you."

Jennifer's eyes flashed. She wrenched her hand away forcefully, startling her friend.

"Forgive…_me?_" She repeated, her voice dangerously quiet. "You nearly killed me."

"Jen–"

"–_Save it_, Lesnicki!" She raged helplessly, shoving Needy into the dirt. "_We're through!_"

"_Jen!_" The bespectacled teen cried urgently, forcing herself up with great difficulty.

Jennifer approached her with a deliberate smirk on her pale, worn face.

"And guess what?" She spat bitterly. "You were a terrible best friend too."

The brunette flung a glinting piece of metal at Needy, striking her sharply in the chest. It bounced off and glittered to the ground.

"I won't be needing that anymore."

Needy remained in a half-crouch and slowly reached out to pick up the metal piece.

_Best. Friends. Forever._

The teen looked up and realized that she was all alone.


End file.
